Total Eclipse
by ArabellaWarbler
Summary: When Blaine is rejected by the cute GAP Junior Manager and learns of Kurt's feelings, he leaves Dalton to clear his head. He doesn't expect to run into Jesse St James, ex-lead of Vocal Adrenaline. Jesse/Blaine friendship, Klaine & St Berry.
1. Coffee

Java Joe's was a quaint sort of place, similar to The Lima Bean in only one way; it served coffee.

The seats were mismatched, some leather, some wicker, even a chaise lounge tucked away in the corner. A chalkboard told anybody who read it that 'The Neon Queens' and 'Earth Accents' performed every Thursday and Saturday night, and that they were also available for weddings. Hung over the door - in a way that meant they chimed out in their little twinkly fashion each time the door swung open - were half a dozen wind chimes, some with bird feathers strung to them and others with brightly coloured beads. A large dream catcher hung among them, for reasons that weren't apparent to anybody but Java Joe himself.

He was a plump, balding sort of man, whose cheeks were reddened with the cheery grin he always kept on his face, and who walked with a slight limp on his left side due to a leg injury. He served each and every customer with the same grin, smiling from the moment he clambered out of bed to the moment he clambered back in. Joe lived for life.

Blaine had always felt out of place at Java Joe's. The warm browns and earth tones suited him perfectly, yes, but it was the place where many people went to think, and Blaine often had little time to think. The Warblers, his school work and Kurt's casual outings often left little room for thinking time.

It was Valentines Day, and Blaine trudged in through the door feeling a thousand times more downtrodden and emotionally drained that he had that morning.

He was grateful to find that Joe didn't take part in Valentines Day celebrations, the cafe devoid of any decorations or happy couples. In fact, it was devoid of anybody. Only Joe sat behind the counter, whistling to himself as he leant back and rocked his chair against the wall. He wore a Stetson low over his face, raising it as the wind chimes called out loudly into the silence of his shop. He nodded once at Blaine and rose from his chair, removing the Stetson and placing it gently on the counter, moving to greet Blaine.

"What'll it be, son?"

"Medium drip, please."

Blaine was handed his coffee and said his thanks to Joe, who simply replaced his hat and nodded once more, returning to his position in the chair. Blaine wandered among the odd tables and chairs until he found the polished oak table that he was so fond of and sat down silently. He breathed in the smell of his coffee and allowed it to steam for a while before taking a large gulp, glad for the burning that seared down his insides. At least he knew he still had some feeling left in him.

Ten minutes passed, whereby Blaine sat by himself and let his mind think the events of the past day over, however just as he was on the verge of coming to some sort of conclusion, a tall boy walked through the door, setting the wind chimes off in their tiny melodic ringing. He was slim, yet well-built, muscles on his arms and chest that suggested he was athletic, and his dark brown hair waved only slightly. His blue eyes scanned the tiny cafe for a moment before finding the only occupied table and its occupant. He seemed to look Blaine up and down before moving fluidly to the counter.

Blaine stared down at the table as the boy ordered an exotic coffee with lots of cream, and he looked up to see the boy heading straight for his table, holding a coffee cup tightly in his hands.

He sat down in the seat opposite Blaine, sliding his coffee cup down onto the table. "I'm Jesse." The boy said, offering a small smile. He took a sip of coffee before licking a line of froth from his top lip. Blaine glanced at him and then looked away.

"Blaine."

Jesse raised an eyebrow. "You're a Warbler?" He gestured to Blaine's uniform with a wave of his hand.

"And proud of it." Blaine replied almost defensively, keeping his tone firm but flat, and Jesse's mouth lifted at the corners. His eyes flickered over the Dalton crest on Blaine's breast pocket a few times before returning to his face. Blaine leant back in his chair slightly, eyes narrow with recognition. "You used to be the lead in Vocal Adrenaline?"

Jesse nodded, and Blaine mirrored his action slowly. They both reached for their coffee cups at the same time, looking away from each other to tip their heads back and drink quietly. As soon as they set their cups down, Blaine's phone lit up on the table. The caller ID read 'Kurt'. He looked at it and sighed.

"Not gonna get that?" Jesse asked, and Blaine shook his head. They both stared at the phone until the screen darkened, indicating that Kurt had either hung up or been sent to voice-mail. Blaine sighed again.

Jesse's hair was the kind that stayed relatively straight until it reached the end, where it flicked out wildly in all directions, and he pushed it back off of his forehead to keep it from hanging in his eyes. Blaine had similar problems, but preferred to gel his hair into a manageable style. As he took another sip of coffee, a single piece of hair broke free of the gel and instantly curled.

"What are you doing in a place like Joe's anyway?" Jesse frowned. "It's a bit far from your campus."

Blaine blinked. "I needed air."

"You don't have to be so tense." Jesse laughed, and Blaine's face instantly hardened. He held up his hands to the Warbler. "I know I've got a bad reputation, but I'm not here to spy on you. Honestly."

He waited for a response.

"I'm not wearing a wire or anything-", he assured, "-I come here to think sometimes."

Something in his expression pleaded innocence with Blaine, who rolled his eyes and leant forward in his chair, softening his face slightly. "If you're sure.." He slid his half-full coffee cup between his hands, watching it carefully. "I come here to think too." He finally admitted.

"I just got kicked out of college." Jesse said, tone level and deep, eyes looking straight into Blaine's.

"I just got rejected by a junior GAP manager." Blaine shrugged, tracing his finger along a scratch in the polished wood table.

Jesse paused thoughtfully, as if carefully deliberating the words to use. "Man," he breathed, "that's rough. Sorry."

"Doesn't matter now."

Blaine's phone lit up again, the screen reading 'Kurt' once more. This time, Jesse positively smirked.

"You've either got one hell of a worried best friend or a creepy-ass stalker there, Blaine." He smiled, and Blaine managed the smallest of smiles in return.

"Best friend." He nodded. "But.."

"But?" Jesse raised an eyebrow. "But what?"

"Nothing." Blaine waved away the matter, straightening a little in his seat. After a sip of coffee, he pointed a finger at Jesse. "So, why were you kicked out of college?"

"Ah," Jesse pulled a face, "That's a long story."

Blaine glanced at his watch. "I've got time."

The other boy shook his head but grinned. "Being the lead in Vocal Adrenaline had its perks. I didn't even have to go to lessons, they just paid an Asian kid to take my exams. I figured it would be the same at UCLA.." He trailed off with a sheepish grin.

"I'm guessing it wasn't the same at UCLA?"

"No, it was not."

Blaine took another sip of coffee. "But why come all the way back here?"

Jesse rubbed the side of his neck with his palm. "There's a girl." He smiled. "She's wonderful and amazing, talented and my god, she can sing." He paused. "And we broke each others' hearts." He slapped the back of his hand to his forehead dramatically, laughing at himself as he did so. "It all seems a bit over the top, I know, but I do regret hurting her."

"So you've come back to find her?"

"I don't need to find her, I know exactly where she is. I've come back to make amends, and to ask her for a second chance." Jesse stopped, and his face fell a little. "I'm not sure if she'll take me back."

Blaine bit his bottom lip. "You can always try."

"Yeah."

A few minutes passed in silence, during which both boys finished their coffees, and Joe came hobbling around to their table and took away the old cups, replacing them with the exact same orders they had and claiming that they were on the house with a friendly grin. A further period of time passed where conversation was filled mindlessly with talk of the weather, and lips were occupied with cup-rims for the majority of the time. After half an hour of the same absent chatter, Jesse pulled out a pen and a notepad from his pocket.

"Here," he said, "This is my number." He tore off the sheet of paper and handed it to Blaine, who was taken aback at the gesture. "Text me whenever you want." Then he added quietly, "It's not like I have anything else to be doing."

Blaine folded up the number and placed it into his breast pocket, then took the notepad and the pen from Jesse and wrote down his number too. Then he slid the pad and pen across the table to Jesse, who stood up.

"Are you leaving?" Blaine asked softly.

Jesse smiled weakly. "Got to find some work so I don't get turfed out onto the street."

"I'll walk out with you."


	2. Piano

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who subscribed to story alerts (:  
>Don't be afraid to review, I don't bite, and I'm always looking for ways to improve.<p>

* * *

><p>(3.08)<br>_So tell me a bit about yourself, Blaine._

(3.23)  
>It's three in the morning.<p>

(3.24)  
><em>A perfect time to be awake, don't you think?<em>

(3.25)  
>No.<p>

(3.25)  
><em>Go back to sleep then.<em>

(3.26)  
>I can't now.<br>(3.26)  
>Fine. I'm a Junior at Dalton Academy, lead singer of the Warblers, very nearly a straight A student.. Yourself.<p>

(3.29)  
><em>I was lead of Vocal Adrenaline for four years. We took Nationals thanks to me.<em>

(3.35)  
>You're awfully pretentious for someone who just got kicked out of college.<p>

(3.36)  
><em>Now, that's not fair. They kicked me out because I didn't go to class, not because my talent went away.<em>

(3.37)  
>I don't believe you.<p>

(3.37)  
><em>I'll prove it. Joe's got a piano at his place. I'll show you just how amazingly talented I am next Tuesday.<em>

(3.39)  
>Who said anything about Coffee Tuesdays?<p>

(3.43)  
><em>Yesterday was Tuesday. Why not make it a weekly thing?<br>_(3.45)  
><em>It's good to clear your head once a week.<br>_(3.45)  
><em>Shall I be seeing you next Tuesday then?<em>

(3.49)  
>Fine.<br>(3.40)  
>But I'm going back to sleep now.<p>

* * *

><p>The piano at Java Joe's was old, ancient perhaps, an obvious heirloom. Joe often patted it proudly as if it was a faithful dog, but his short, stumpy fingers had trouble finding chords amongst the black and white keys, and he had long since abandoned any hope of learning to play.<p>

Jesse had noticed it instantly upon his discovery of Joe's. The finely polished wood and spotless keys seemed to call to him, but he couldn't think of anything to play. It seemed infinitely sad to him, to have a piano in a place where it would never be played. It reminded him of a piano from a library.

He settled himself down on the piano stool just moments before Blaine ambled through the door. Joe handed him two coffees from behind the counter and then settled himself into his seat as he had done the week before.

"Hello again." Blaine said, setting the coffee cup with Jesse's name scrawled on the side on top of the piano. It steamed in the most delightfully charming way, and Jesse thanked him.

Blaine had wrapped himself up in a trench coat, and a knitted red and white scarf bunched up around his neck and gave the impression of a turtle-neck sweater. He laid the coat over the back of a chair and draped the scarf over that, revealing his Dalton uniform underneath. Jesse gave him a small smile as he took up a seat to the right of the piano.

"I'm going to play now, and you should listen because I'm about to prove my amazing talent." Jesse said with a smirk, and Blaine nodded slowly.

His fingers fluently played the opening to a song that Blaine didn't know, and he began to sing.

"_I see her looking, but what does she see?_

_Just for this moment, I wish I weren't me_."

Jesse had a deep yet well-trained voice. He sighed under his breath, and Blaine watched in awe as his fingers seemed to dance along the keys, up and down and back up again, black to white and white to black, any trace of the previous smirk lost from his face and replaced with a mournful expression.

"_Cause I'm not the future she thought I would be_."

Jesse closed his eyes for a long second before leaning over the piano and opening them again.

"_It's over_."

Joe shuffled from somewhere behind the counter, and both boys looked over to find him entranced with the performance. He smiled; the piano had a player.

"_I could have told her the night that we met._

_I'd be a love she would learn to regret._"

Blaine swayed a little as Jesse continued to play, listening to the words that said so much in so little. It made him want to cry. He drank his coffee slowly as he watched.

"_I know her soul is so simple and true._

_She will forgive what I'm putting her through_."

Jesse stopped playing and his fingers found a final chord to rest on.

"_Forgiving myself will be harder to do._

_When it's over. It's over_."

He shuffled the piano stool away from the piano and picked up his coffee, then walked to the table that Blaine had sat himself at. The other boy's face showed annoyance but a hint of a smile.

"Okay, you were right." His face broke out into a sheepish grin.

Jesse raised an eyebrow. "I always am."

"Pretentious git." Blaine laughed, taking a swig of his coffee.

"Kind words from my biggest fan." Jesse winked, sipping his coffee slowly.

"Jesse," Joe wandered over, a large smile stretching from ear to ear. Jesse greeted him with a nod. "That was some mighty fine piano playing right there. You should play more often."

Blaine watched the conversation with silent, hazel eyes as Jesse's expression turned to amusement. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Joe." He laughed as he joked with the older man. "But thanks, I'll play for you every now and again."

With a fatherly pat on Jesse's shoulder, Joe took up his place behind the counter again.

"Nice guy." Jesse thought aloud, then shifting his attention back to Blaine. "How was school?"

Blaine pulled a face. "Horrendous. Found a job yet?"

"No. Surprisingly, there aren't many jobs available for a self-confessed god like myself."

"I bet there isn't."

Jesse winked, but Blaine's face turned solemn.

"And what about, you know, her? Have you been to see her yet?"

"No." Jesse looked away. "I wouldn't know what to say."

"That song said a lot."

Jesse didn't reply. He swallowed his coffee in silence and kept his eyes focused on the dream-catcher amongst the wind chimes. Eventually he looked back to Blaine.

"Not the words I want it to say."

Blaine's lips thinned tightly in thought. He gave up soon enough, and downed the last of his coffee before it went cold. Jesse did the same.

Somewhere in Blaine's trench coat, his phone rang out, muffled by the thick, woollen fabric of the coat.

"Aw crap." He mumbled, turning in his chair to rifle through each of the pockets in search of his phone. It wasn't discovered until the last pocket, and it had stopped ringing by then. Jesse saw a name on the screen, exhaling shortly through his nose when he saw it said 'Kurt'.

"Best friend?"

"Yup." Blaine left his phone on the table, but it didn't ring again.

Jesse gathered the two empty coffee cups into his hands. "Are you ever going to answer your phone to him?" His tone was light, but he could see that his words had hit a nerve in Blaine.

"I always answer the phone to him." He answered bluntly.

"Just not on Tuesdays?" Jesse almost danced to the bin in the corner, dropping the cups in and then dancing his way back.

Blaine nodded. "Just not on Tuesdays."

Jesse rolled his eyes and pointed a thumb over his shoulder and at the door. "Come on, I'll walk out with you."


	3. Guitar

**A/N: **Once again, thanks to everyone who's favourited/subscribed, you make me smile ^.^

* * *

><p>(3.14)<br>I've got a surprise for you.

(3.15)  
><em>Blaine, it's three in the morning.<em>

(3.16)  
>In your words, 'a perfect time to be awake'.<p>

(3.17)  
><em>What do you want, Blaine?<em>

(3.20)  
>I already told you, I have a surprise for you.<p>

(3.24)  
><em>Then keep it a surprise.<em>

(3.27)  
>Jesus, somebody is cranky on Monday mornings.<p>

(3.32)  
><em>You'd be cranky too if you were sleeping on a friend's couch.<em>

(3.34)  
>Oh cheer up.<br>(3.36)  
>I'll see you tomorrow then?<p>

(3.37)  
><em>I'm going back to bed.<em>

(3.38)  
>I hope you sleep well (:<p>

* * *

><p>Blaine's guitar was beautiful.<p>

It was a Taylor acoustic model, a gift from Blaine's father when it was discovered that Blaine had an obvious talent in the field of music. It was always shining and perfectly tuned, kept well-maintained and played often, but never used in public.

The Warblers seemed to have a universal hatred of instruments of any kind, possibly stemming from their eternally long history of performing accapella songs, and this meant that Blaine had never had the guts to suggest using his guitar in a Warblers performance. Wes would never go for it, and Kurt had some kind of annoyance towards all instruments that weren't grand pianos.

It was too easy to sit in a shadowed corner of Java Joe's and strum absent-mindedly on the strings by way of habit. Blaine tested out a few chords and transitions and practised the song he had prepared to show Jesse, but as the vintage clock on the wall creeped closer and closer to closing time, he grew worried. Maybe he had made a mistake by texting Jesse so early in the morning. Maybe Jesse didn't want Coffee Tuesdays anymore.

"What in the name of sanity are you doing?" Jesse laughed, and Blaine looked away from whatever obscure object he had been staring at. The taller boy must have walked into the shop while he was day-dreaming, and Blaine grinned up at him, taking the coffee Jesse offered, his name written on the side in Joe's curling scrawl.

"Surprise." Blaine laughed, and Jesse's face widened in understanding. He took a seat on a plush chair a few feet from Blaine and smiled in a way that said 'whenever you're ready'.

With a deep breath, Blaine began to strum softly. His fingers picked out the chords and he smiled despite himself.

"_I'm going away for a while._

_But I'll be back, don't try and follow me_."

Jesse stilled as Blaine's voice reverberated through the little shop, bouncing off of the walls and the chairs in a way that amplified the raw talent he possessed.

"_Cause I'll return as soon as possible_."

He could see the smile on Blaine's face as he played. It made him smile himself.

"_See I'm trying to find my place._

_But it might not be here where I feel safe_."

Blaine's rough fingertips moved from string to string with impossible ease, similar to the ease with which Jesse could play the piano, an instrument that had always eluded Blaine's musical knowledge.

"_We all learn to make mistakes, and run from them, from them._

_With no direction_."

A small part of Jesse began to wonder if Blaine was being as honest in his song as he had been in his own. He wondered what Blaine could possibly be running from.

"_Oh, you are not useless._

_We are just misguided ghosts_."

Singing was obviously something that came naturally to both boys now, and they both seemed to realise at the same moment just how talented they both were. Jesse grinned, and Blaine opened his mouth to sing even louder.

"_Travelling endlessly._

_The ones we trusted the most, pushed us far away_."

Blaine's face fell a little, and his eyes grew momentarily sad.

"_And there's no one role. We should not be the same._

_But I'm just a ghost. And still they echo me_."

He smiled at Jesse, who had been joined by Joe at some point in the performance, the pair almost mesmerized.

"_They echo me in circles_."

The song was over. Joe clapped his large hands together loudly and Jesse offered a wink. Blaine blushed slightly, placing his guitar gently to the side and joining Jesse and Joe at the table.

"My oh my, aren't we talented?" Jesse smirked, and Blaine took a shy slurp of coffee.

Joe nodded enthusiastically. "You two are like peas in a pod." He had a mug cupped in his hands and took a swig from it after he had spoken.

"Gee, thanks." Blaine couldn't stop the flush of colour creeping up his cheeks. It made him feel childish.

"Embarrassed?" Jesse laughed. "Don't be."

Joe thumped Blaine on the shoulder and wandered off, taking his mug with him and humming an unfamiliar tune to himself. When Jesse was certain he was out of earshot, he turned to Blaine.

"So who was that for?" He asked quietly, the previous nature of his joking tone gone and replaced with a sombre look, brows drawn low over his blue eyes. "I mean, we both know who I was singing for."

Blaine chewed on his tongue for a second. "My dad."

"Ah," Jessie leant back in his chair a little, "Father issues. Want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly."

"C'mon. I would have completely passed my Psychology class if I'd shown up to it. I can probably be of some help." Jesse teased a meagre smile out of Blaine. "Tell Jesse your sorrows, three bucks a session." He winked, and Blaine's smile grew a little bigger.

"Alright," he gave in, "I'll talk." He took a mouthful of coffee before continuing. "I used to be the perfect child. Straight A's, member of the football team, one of the most popular guys in school. All the girls wanted me. I just.. didn't want them." Blaine looked at Jesse, who was looking at him with a patient expression, willing him on.

"Anyway, in my father's eyes I could do no wrong. Even after my mom left and it was just me and him, he always made time for me." He sighed, and his eyes narrowed. "And when I was fifteen, I came out to him." Blaine felt his throat dry up and close over and he remembered the exact words his father had said. There was a sour, metallic taste in his mouth as he froze.

"Your lip's bleeding." Jesse said. Blaine didn't respond, but his eyes flickered back and forth between two places in the background. "Blaine, your lip is bleeding."

With a snap of Jesse's fingers, Blaine pulled himself back to reality and shook himself. Jesse was right, and Blaine pressed the side of his index finger to his bottom lip to stem the blood. Jesse passed him a tissue with a sympathetic look.

"I'm really sorry."

Blaine swallowed hard. "It's not your fault."

A voice in the back of Blaine's head added, 'it's mine'.

"It's not yours, either." Jesse answered, almost as if he could hear the extra voice. Blaine shrugged. Jesse inhaled loudly. "Drink your coffee." He nudged the paper cup into Blaine's hands, and the other boy took it gratefully and finished it in a few loud gulps. Jesse smiled.

"Now, shall we walk each other out?"


	4. Duet

**A/N:** So I realised today that I'm writing about 700 things and re-writing hundreds more and I'm just swamped in this big stick puddle of fics that I'll never finish. Oops. Hur hur.  
>Once again, thank you to everybody who has subscribed to this story, or has author alerted me, or favourited any of my fics recently. You guys are the tater to my tots.<br>And don't be afraid to review ^_^

* * *

><p>(3.00)<br>_Hey, Blaine.  
><em>(3.10)  
><em>Blaine.<br>_(3.15)  
><em>Blaine, hey.<br>_(3.20)  
><em>BLAINE.<em>

(3.21)  
>Yes?<p>

(3.22)  
><em>Next time, answer on the first text, please.<em>

(3.25)  
>What do you want?<p>

(3.27)  
><em>It's three in the morning.<br>_(3.27)  
><em>Or rather, it was.<em>

(3.35)  
>Is that all?<p>

(3.36)  
><em>No!<br>_(3.36)  
><em>I had a great idea!<br>_(3.46)  
><em>It really is great..<br>_(3.49)  
><em>Don't you want to hear it, Blaine? ):<em>

(3.51)  
>Fine.<p>

(3.52)  
><em>Yay!<em>

(3.52)  
>You act like a puppy on Friday mornings.<p>

(3.53)  
><em>Is that a bad thing?<em>

(3.53)  
>It's a welcome change from Cranky-Like-Hell Mondays.<br>(3.54)  
>What's this idea then?<p>

(3.56)  
><em>A duet!<em>

(3.57)

(3.57)  
>I'm going to bed.<br>(3.58)  
>You should too.<p>

(3.58)  
><em>You're completely right.<br>_(3.59)  
><em>We'll discuss this further on Coffee Tuesday.<br>_(3.59)  
><em>Until then..<br>_(4.01)  
><em>I bid you farewell.<em>

(4.02)  
>Go to sleep, Jesse.<p>

* * *

><p>Joe already had Jesse and Blaine's coffee orders ready for them when they arrived, separately, but within mere minutes of each other. He laughed with them as they paid, directing Blaine to where Jesse had positioned himself just moments ago. His little cafe had a few extra Tuesday visitors today, two of which included a young girl and her father, the first full of energy and the second positively drained. He gave the girl a cup of hot chocolate with extra cream, sprinkles and marshmallows. Her father asked for the strongest coffee there was.<p>

Jesse and Blaine grew more comfortable with each other every week. It was now the fourth time they had met at the cafe and they were already at ease together. Joe didn't hear what they talked about, but he imagined it was deep and personal, as boys of their age wouldn't spend the time and energy meeting up if it wasn't beneficial for both of them.

He often wondered why they chose his humble cafe to host their Tuesday coffee chats. Was it the atmosphere? The service? Was it purely because nobody came in on Tuesdays, for reasons unknown even to Joe himself, and they simply wanted the simplicity of a private meeting? He doubted that he'd ever know, but he enjoyed their presence and they were both interesting enough to give him something to look forward to.

Blaine had stopped wearing his trench coat and scarf by the fourth meeting, as the seasons drifted from spring to early summer, and he even lost a few layers of his uniform, losing his thick sweater from under his blazer and exposing the white Oxford shirt beneath.

Jesse had also changed his dress sense, something that Blaine had never really stopped to notice. However, thick scarves turned to thin, and heavy, dark jackets were swapped for short sleeved t-shirts layered over long sleeved.

"Happy Tuesday." Jesse smiled up at Blaine as he approached the table, holding up a set of sheet music for the other boy to take.

Blaine took the papers with a confused and wary expression. "What's this then?" He sat at the table and spread the papers out on the desk, placing his coffee cup next to Jesse's.

"Our duet." Jesse said in a matter-of-fact way.

"Ah, Blaine raised an eyebrow, "So you were serious about that, then?"

Jesse frowned. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You seemed overly excited, I thought you might have been drunk-texting."

"Trust me, you'd know if I was drunk-texting." Jesse smirked and swiped his coffee cup up, raising it to his lips. He had to wipe away the small line of froth that traced his upper lip from the cream in his coffee before replacing his cup in its spot next to Blaine's.

"So this is our duet?"

"Oh, well would you look at that," Jesse picked up a sheet and squinted at it, "It is!" He opened his mouth sarcastically and Blaine scowled, taking the sheet back.

"You're so funny." He mumbled.

Jesse laughed. "The funniest thing is, I actually am."

Blaine's expression softened. "And you want to perform this-"

"Now." Jesse said shortly. Blaine blinked a few times.

"Now?"

"Yes, now."

"I haven't got a guitar with me." Blaine shrugged.

"There's one in my car."

Ten minutes later found Jesse perched at the piano and Blaine sat a short distance away, cradling a guitar that wasn't his. He allowed his hands some time to find their way around the slightly different structure of this guitar, finding that it was relatively simple.

Jesse looked across at him and nodded. The cafe fell silent as Joe hushed everybody, and Blaine felt the lump in his throat that always came before a performance of any kind. He swallowed it, and looked down at the guitar as Jesse counted to three.

On three, he began to play, and Jesse opened his mouth and sang.

"_It's always early, it's always dark when I leave._

_I check myself in the mirror, and he looks a lot like me_."

They played and sang to the silence of the coffee shop, and Joe watched them with a proud grin on his face.

"_It could be London, but he followed me back home._

_I'm not complaining, but I wish he'd just stay in Rome_."

Jesse looked right at Blaine, who looked back and understood the meaning in the words he sang.

"_He isn't always right, you know_."

Blaine took over vocally while Jesse played his turn on the piano, nodding to himself.

"_Your expectations, I'm never gonna measure up._

_I'm not a hero, no, I never was tall enough_."

He shook his head and laughed to himself as he realised just how true to life the lyrics were, and how accurate Jesse had been in choosing his song for them.

"_You're screaming at me, and I just want to scream right back._

_You wouldn't believe it, no, he'd never do a thing like that_."

The young girl who was sat quietly with her father had been captivated by the performance, and she drifted away from her table, taking a small bear with her as she wandered, finding her way to where Jesse's fingers nimbly elevated up and down the piano. Her large brown eyes watched in fascination.

"_It's taking all I've got not to crack_."

As Blaine rejoined the music and strummed on his guitar once more, the little girl wobbled over to where he sat, watching the precision with which Blaine's talented hands switched chords. Her father called her over, but Blaine offered him a smile that said it was okay if she stayed for a while.

Jesse and Blaine sang together as the little girl watched them.

"_I only have to play the part, but that part, was only part of me._

_Once in a while, let down my guard, and that's hard. Afraid of what you'll see_."

Jesse dropped out at the last second, leaving Blaine and his guitar to finish the song alone.

"_I didn't mean to disappoint, but I'm not who you think I am_.

_No, I'm not who you think I am_."

Joe clapped loudly and wolf-whistled, and the little girl beamed from Blaine to Jesse, who bowed for her, much to her delight. She giggled and waited for Blaine to do the same, and when he complied, she positively lit up. She ran back to her father, who complimented both Jesse and Blaine and carried his daughter to the counter to talk to Joe.

"Thank you." Blaine breathed.

Jesse closed the lid on the piano. "For what?"

"The song."

"My pleasure."


	5. Friends

**A/N: **So I realised that I can pretty much end this fic in the next one of two parts, because it's only a quick thing.  
>Therefore, work has begun on the sequel (which I'm excited about) and afnuewnfu I love these two. It's a shame they've never had an actualcanon conversation. Creys.  
>Anywho, thank you to all who have subscribedfavourited (:

* * *

><p>(3.03)<br>_It's that time again, Blaine._

(3.05)  
>Time to be asleep, perhaps?<p>

(3.06)  
><em>Close. It's thinking time.<br>_(3.08)  
><em>I've been thinking..<em>

(3.08)  
>Don't hurt yourself.<p>

(3.09)  
><em>And you said I get grouchy.<em>

(3.12)  
>It's Wednesday.<p>

(3.12)  
><em>And..?<em>

(3.19)  
>I don't like Wednesdays.<br>(3.21)  
>I want it to be Tuesday again.<p>

(3.25)  
><em>Why?<em>

(3.27)  
>Wednesday is Wednesday.<br>(3.27)  
>It's no Coffee Tuesday.<p>

(3.29)  
><em>True.<br>_(3.29)  
><em>Only six days until Coffee Tuesday though.<em>

(3.33)  
>I'm assuming you text me for a reason, and not just to count down to our next Coffee Tuesday?<p>

(3.34)  
><em>Ah! Yes.<br>_(3.35)  
><em>Do you want to know?<br>_(3.45)  
><em>I'll ask you anyway.<em>

(3.45)  
>Go ahead.<p>

(3.47)  
><em>You haven't fallen asleep then. That's good.<br>_(3.47)  
><em>We're friends, aren't we?<em>

(3.49)  
>Yes.<p>

(3.50)  
><em>And you and Kurt are friends. Right?<em>

(3.54)  
>Yes.<p>

(3.54)  
><em>But me and you aren't friends like you and Kurt are friends. Right?<br>_(3.59)  
><em>Blaine?<em>

(4.02)  
>No.<p>

* * *

><p>Blaine smiled across the table. On the other side, Kurt made rude hand gestures at the back of their Chemistry professor's head, and both boys tried to stifle a laugh. Tuesday Chemistry was one of Blaine's favourite lessons, definitely not because the teacher was so insufferably boring that it took him at least a day to finish a sentence, but because it was the only lesson that he and Kurt had together away from the other Warblers.<p>

Kurt covered his mouth and he screwed up his eyes and tried not to burst into peals of laughter, and Blaine did the same. Their professor shot them stern looks from where he stood behind his desk, and they instantly wiped their faces clean of amusement.

As the final bell rang out, Blaine picked up his things and moved down the table to stand by Kurt, who was packing his books into his shoulder bag, arranging them by size. He whistled one of their Regionals songs as he packed, and Blaine whistled along with him.

"Will you be joining me for Math revision later, Mr Anderson?" Kurt asked, keeping his eyes on the professor who watched the pair with a scowl.

Blaine bit his lip. "It's Tuesday."

Kurt rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. "Are you ever going to tell us where you go?"

"Nope." Blaine grinned sheepishly.

* * *

><p>Jesse slid the paper coffee cup across the table towards Blaine. "Have you ever felt completely lost?"<p>

"All the time." Blaine confessed.

They appraised each other coolly for a moment, before Jesse's eyes widened. "Are you wearing normal clothes?"

Blaine looked down in mock surprise. "Son of a gun, I am!"

They laughed together, the sound almost musical. Blaine wasn't stuck in the confines of his Dalton uniform that evening, and had instead changed into jeans and a t-shirt, a jacket over the top. Jesse nodded his approval.

Joe stumbled over to where they sat at their usual polished oak table, setting down his mug of coffee and joining them. He beamed at them in the way a proud parent looks at their offspring, taking a swig of coffee every now and then.

"You two are damn talented, you know." He smiled.

Blaine blushed, and Jesse exhaled shortly. "The man's right Blaine." He lifted his coffee cup to his lips and took a sip, then lowered it again. "I am pretty damn talented."

Joe nudged him on the shoulder in a boisterous way, and the pair grinned at each other. "Ignore this kid, you're going to get places." He pointed a short finger at Blaine - who blushed again and mumbled his thanks - before leaving.

"You should learn to accept compliments," Jesse said in a matter-of-fact way, "You're going to be getting heaps of them pretty soon."

Blaine's brow furrowed. "What?"

"Regionals. You're going to be swimming in adoring fans." Jesse laughed. There was a silence as both boys drank their coffee.

"Why were you asking about Kurt?" Blaine moved the conversation on.

Jesse leant back in his chair and took a few moments to formulate his reply. After a while, he smiled thoughtfully. "You like Kurt."

"I do not." Blaine squeaked, the normal pitch of his voice rising by a number of octaves. "I mean, I enjoy his company.. As a friend, that is.. And I-"

"-Like him." Jesse raised an eyebrow. Blaine held his gaze for a long pause before dropping it to the table. Jesse grinned triumphantly. "I knew it. I can sense these things."

Blaine put his head into his palms. "You're getting pretentious again."

"I'm right though, aren't I? My Spidey senses are tingling."

"Yes. No.. I, uh.. I don't know." Blaine screwed up his face. "He's Kurt. He's just Kurt. He's little baby penguin and I don't-"

"Stop, stop. You're going to strain yourself." Jesse said sternly. His blue eyes looked lighter in the sunlight that filtered through an open window, but it didn't make him look any less serious.

"I need help." Blaine whined, face still hidden in his hands.

"I'll help." Jesse offered, but Blaine lifted his head slowly.

He grimaced. "You hardly know me."

Jesse raised an eyebrow. "Your name is Blaine Anderson. You're sixteen, and you board at Dalton Academy. Your best friend is called Kurt, and you're the lead in The Warblers, a club which Kurt is also a member of. He cares about you a lot and you reciprocate some of his feelings, but the struggle you went through - and still are going through - with your father means that you are afraid to open yourself up. You're lonely, and probably in love with Kurt. You just fail to see it."

Blaine froze and stared at Jesse with wide eyes. "How did you know all that?"

"I listen, and I'm good at getting inside other people's heads." The other boy grinned. "But I might still be wrong. It's all up to you and how you feel."

Blaine groaned and dropped his head to the table.

"You'll work it out at some point. Get your coffee, I'll walk you to your car."


	6. Endings

(3.12)  
>Jesse.<p>

(3.14)  
><em>Blaine.<em>

(3.18)  
>Pavarotti died.<p>

(3.25)  
><em>That was three years ago Blaine, it's too late to mourn him now.<em>

(3.26)  
>Not that Pavarotti.<br>(3.27)  
>Kurt's Pavarotti.<p>

(3.31)  
><em>Who is Pavarotti?<em>

(3.31)  
>A canary.<p>

(3.24)  
><em>Oh right, your mascot<em>.  
>(3.24)<br>_Sorry to hear that_.

(3.26)  
>Kurt's really upset.<br>(3.34)  
>He cried for about three hours.<br>(3.36)  
>And then he sang about it.<br>(3.45)  
>Jesse, I think I like him.<br>(3.36)  
>Like, LIKE him.<br>(3.48)  
>I know I like him.<br>(3.49)  
>He's the one I've been looking for.<br>(3.53)  
>I have to tell him.<br>(3.54)  
>Are you ignoring me?<p>

(3.56)  
><em>I told you that you'd work it out<em>.

(3.59)  
>You were right.<p>

(4.05)  
><em>You don't need me anymore, Blaine.<br>_(4.05)  
><em>And I'm sorry, but I have to leave Lima for a while.<em>

(4.06)  
>What?<p>

(4.07)  
><em>My friend kicked me out, and I need to go home for a while.<br>_(4.07)  
><em>And then I'm coming back.<br>_(4.14)  
><em>I will come back.<em>

(4.15)  
>But I need your help.<br>(4.16)  
>I would never have realised how I feel about Kurt if you hadn't read my mind.<p>

(4.21)  
><em>I'm coming back as soon as I can.<br>_(4.22)  
><em>I'm sorry, Blaine. I'll be in touch.<br>_(4.25)  
><em>Bye.<em>

* * *

><p>Blaine threw his phone at the wall and scowled into the darkness.<p>

Three weeks had passed since Jesse's last text, and there had been nothing. No texts, no phonecalls, and no Coffee Tuesdays.

In a way, he was angry. In another, he felt pathetic.

Why did it affect him so much that a boy he had only known for five weeks at the most had left him? It's not like he needed Jesse. And it definitely wasn't like Jesse needed him.

He just felt hurt that Jesse could come in and out of his life so quickly.

He'd heard stories of Jesse St James, the boy who had egged Rachel Berry and caused unthinkable drama at a crucial time for the New Directions, but he had always thought nothing of the stories. They made him out to be this cruel, cold-hearted show-choir champion who only thought of himself and helped to build confidence and friendship, only to destroy it afterwards.

In fact, Blaine had defended Jesse if he ever came up in conversations between Kurt and himself.

But he was wrong. Jesse was just like the stories portrayed him to be.

The fact of the matter was that Jesse had been a mentor to Blaine, and for him to help Blaine find one thing that he wanted and then to disappear seemed harsh beyond belief.

And the way in which he had so casually abandonded his promise of keeping in touch was something that Blaine couldn't stand.

Rising from his bed, he picked up his phone and did the only thing he could think to do; he erased Jesse's number, all of their texts, and the 'Coffee Tuesday' reminder he had set weeks ago.

And with Jesse St James out of his life, he went back to bed, and tried in vain to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **So it's over almost as quickly as it began. Jesse's gone to sort his own life out and forgotten all about Blaine.  
>Thank you to everyone who subscribed to this god-awful fic and anybody who favourited it (:<br>Also thanks to Alice, who kindly reviewed, and yes, I agree, Blaine and Jesse would sound A-MAZING together.  
>The sequel to this little mini-series should be up soon, which I'm probably looking forward to more than anybody. Hehe.<p> 


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